An Open Casting Call in Second Life

 

Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle.

Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

 

 

          Ashley Carter, my friend in Second Life (SL), approached me recently about her latest project.   My three loyal readers may remember when I first blogged about her as a story teller and then about one of her subsequent projects.  She and I had agreed to do a third

story on her continuing saga, VOIDAR, when she was ready and true to her word, she looked me up.  What’s more, Ashley is looking for some help with this project! 

          Ashley’s newest project is a developing storyline and focuses on an audience viewing a talent show competition.  She needs thirty-six male and female avatars inworld dressed casually for a group shot.  (Significant Other points out that I should emphasize the “dressed” aspect to my nudist friends.)  The date for the shoot is being finalized and anyone who is interested should contact Ashley either inworld, her name is jkm93, or on flickr, where she can be found under VOIDAR//Ashley Carter.  Participation will be on a first come, first served basis.

          Don’t miss this chance to be part of one of the most talented story tellers in SL productions! 

          For those of you who are not as diligent as my three loyal readers (My undying

gratitude to all of you and I don’t believe for a minute that it’s embarrassment that keeps your identities secret.  Significant Other just likes to tease me.) here’s a bit about Ashley and VOIDAR. 

          VOIDAR stands for “Voyage of Immense Danger and Reward.”  (That was easy wasn’t it?)

As described on its website, “VOIDAR is an ongoing sci-fi / adventure series constructed from Linden Lab’s online virtual world: Second Life. The high octane story is told through a mixture of pictures and animated videos; and it follows a group of misfit voyagers, who do what they can to prevent a war on a universal scale from breaking out!” 

Ashley takes a different approach to inworld machinima than what others do.  She won't be filming directly in world, but taking shots and editing/animating them with Adobe software. 

Ashley is a talented and creative member of the SL community.  She draws on her Real Life (RL) skills and experiences to create some incredible images.  Ashley is one of SL’s most popular and well known story tellers.  Don’t miss this opportunity to meet her and

to work with her.  Her portfolio can be found on flickr.  Ashley is also running a pile up photo competition now and the details can be located here. 

I’d like to thank Ashley for once again taking time from her busy production schedule to meet with me and to share details of her latest project. 

All pictures in this story are used with the permission of Ashley Carter. 

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives! 

Additional pictures from my visits can be found on this flickr page. 

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

          Open roads and kind fires!

 

The Return of the Storyteller in Second Life

 

Everything I learned I learned from the movies.

Audrey Hepburn

 

          My regular readers (Both of you!) may remember when I met Ashley Carter, the storyteller, a while back in Second Life (SL).    

          For those of you who either don’t recall or haven’t read that particular opus of mine, Ashley tells stories with images taken from SL.  (Seriously, read it!  Not for my sake but for

Ashley’s, she’s one of the truly creative folks inworld!)

          Recently, I met Ashley again and she began to tell me about her latest project so we agreed to meet again for another interview.  (Significant Other thinks that she was just too polite to tell me to get lost.)

          Anyway, we met and Ashley told me what she’s now up to.

          Ashley’s latest project will be a series of animated shorts based on her VOIDAR

storyline.  (VOIDAR stands for “Voyage Of Immense Danger and Reward.”  Told you that you should have read that last story!)

          The first title in the series is “Fighter in the Ring” and will be a telling of the main VOIDAR story arc and each video will be a tir-in with the others. 

          This particular story takes place in a prison holding cell where Ashley and a few other

VOIDAR members are currently being held. 

          Ashley takes a different approach to inworld machinima than what others do.  She won't be filming directly in world, but taking shots and editing/animating them with Adobe software.

          She studied animation in Real Life (RL) and think it’s the more natural way to tell a story than simple pictures. The audience gets to show more, listen to it, and experience it differently.

          Ashley doesn’t wish to spend too long on pre-production as she picks up most things as she pieces it together. For this video, she spent no more than three days mapping out a rough storyboard, collecting any additional items she needed, and just listing some bullet points for what she wanted to happen.  (Really, did George Lucas need any more than this?) 

          I ask Ashley about auditioning the cast for her video.

          She replies that she first asks her inworld friends if they wish to take part, but flickr is

really the best source for finding new residents. With her last video, she received more than sixty requests from flickr alone from residents who wished to get involved.  (Including yours truly!)

          Ashley has actually already begun production. So far, she’s put together thirty-eight seconds of footage, including the logo introduction. She wantsto keep it relatively

short, no more than three minutes, preferably two minutes and thirty seconds. But things change constantly!

What she likes about this style of animating is just how simple it is to complete the

work. 

           I thank Ashley and take my leave after copying down my notes.  (Why do the latter you ask?  Once, after a long interview, I TP’d away only to find that I’d lost all my notes along the way!)

          (Ashley’s very busy now so I only had thirty minutes for the interview and made the most of it!)

          Ashley is working on a very exciting project and based on her prior work, the results will be exceptional.

          Ashley is the creative sort who never gets comfortable, she’s always forging ahead, pushing and challenging herself.

          This story is the first of three that I’ll be writing about Ashley’s animated series.  My next story will be about the actual production of the videos.

          Stay tuned for more! 

          I’d like to thank Ashley for taking the time away from her busy production schedule to meet with me and for her frank answers.   

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

          Open roads and kind fires!

Hearing a Storyteller’s Story in Second Life

No, no! The adventures first, explanations take such a dreadful time.

Lewis Carroll

 

          What I enjoy about wandering about in Second Life (SL) is how these meanderings so often lead me to topics for my stories. 

          The people, places, and experiences encountered inworld give me opportunities to share with my readers (Both of you.) the virtual world that exists alongside Real Life (RL).

          People who have managed to bridge the gap between SL and RL especially interest me because of my long held belief that virtual worlds need only be another neighborhood in our real lives if we approach it wisely.  (Significant Other looks doubtful here.)

          This story is about one such person.

          Someone who uses SL to enhance not only her own RL but for all those who admire and follow her work.

          A chance meeting led me to meet that someone, Ashley Carter, not all that long ago

inworld.

          Like many of my initial meetings with SL friends, I learned a little about her, exchanged some pleasantries, and we went our separate ways promising to meet up again sometime.

          As many of my inworld friends have learned about me, I tend to go down a road and not come back.  (Significant Other mumbles something about it’s not just in SL.)

          So, whenever I run into someone by chance again, it’s always a happy time for me to catch up.  (I won’t speak for the person whom I’m catching up with.  As long as they don’t run away screaming I guess it’s alright.)

          And, this is what happened with Ashley.

          I met her again by chance and we chatted for a bit. 

          However, unlike our first meeting, I knew more about her this time.  (I’m one of those who do read SL profiles and follow links to blogs, websites, flickr and such.)

          I had learned that Ashley was an accomplished artist and storyteller inworld and took her work into RL.  I was intrigued.

          This time I was able to talk with Ashley about her work and her life inworld.  I asked for an interview which she readily agreed too.

         

This story is based on that interview which took place inworld at her home and studio.

          Let me tell you the story of Ashley Carter and VOIDAR….    

          A good story always begins at the beginning.  (At least I think so.  If you don’t agree then go write your own story!) 

          Ashley first joined SL a little over three years ago, although she claims it doesn't seem like it.  She’d first heard about SL on the local news in RL from a story about a couple who had met through here.  That wasn't what she was after, but it still piqued her interest that there was this social online world where one could interact with people and create. 

When asked why she stayed, Ashley replied she thinks because it came down to the people she had the good fortune of meeting, Ashley feels that she’s met some really good friends inworld.

I next ask Ashley how would she describe who she is and what she does inworld.

Ashley laughs and replies that it's hard to describe herself in one word, but first and foremost she enjoys photography which is her number one passion in SL.  Still laughing, she describes herself as curious, friendly but sometimes a little anti-social. Ashley likes being in her own company, it's where she feel most comfortable.  But, on the opposite hand, she adds, SL has given her more confidence when meeting new people and that's helped her in RL too.

         

          Our interview turns to Ashley’s work and her major opus, VOIDAR.

          VOIDAR stands for “Voyage Of Immense Danger and Reward.”  (That was easy wasn’t it?)

          As described on its website, “VOIDAR is an ongoing sci-fi / adventure series constructed from Linden Lab’s online virtual world: Second Life. The high octane story is told through a mixture of pictures and animated videos; and it follows a group of misfit voyagers, who do what they can to prevent a war on a universal scale from breaking out!” 

          George Lucas watch out!

          VOIDAR is Ashley’s first major project in SL.  She dismisses her early work as trivial.

          I ask Ashley where VOIDAR came from. 

Ashley chuckles explaining that VOIDAR is an original idea from a deep corner of her mind. She’s always been interested in photography, and the next step she wanted to take was tell a story. 

When asked if she’s a writer too, Ashley replies that, yes, in a loose sense.  But, she lets the photos tell the story. Going forward she plans to include some flavor text to go with each picture, and let audiences get to know this world a bit more.

I next ask Ashley what led her to do this project.  It's a big commitment of her time and effort.

Ashley agrees excitedly that it is a big commitment.  The idea first came to her in late 2013, and officially debuted at the beginning of 2014. She’s a big fan of movies and graphic novels and that influenced her in starting this project.

In her first year Ashley wasn't creating nearly as much content as she does now.

          My next query is whether Ashley would describe VOIDAR as a graphic novel and herself as a graphic novelist.

Ashley describes VOIDAR as being a pictorial series.  Stylistically it does take a lot of influence from graphic novels, superhero and adventure films.  First and foremost, she’d just describe herself as being a photographer who wants to tell a story, that hopefully others can enjoy as much as she does creating it.

          I ask Ashley what drives her.      

Ashley replies that when she originally started, she saw VOIDAR as nothing more than a simple hobby. These days she feels like it's a part of her life. Ashley has become so invested with these characters and the story that have been in her mind. She guesses being able to create this story and share it with the world is what drives her. The response to it has been more than she had anticipated.  That support from fans is also what keeps her going.

          Spoken like a true storyteller!

          My next query is about her goals in SL.

Ashley replies to avoid stress, focus on having fun along the way in whatever she chooses to do.  (I should adopt these myself.)

I ask about the challenges that she faces as a creative woman inworld.

From a creative stand point, it’s hard to say, Ashley replies. Those who do ask about what she does seem generally interested and have offered compliments and support. She thinks the number one challenge is making sure she gives time to those around her and not isolate herself from everyone.

Ashley thinks that she should reach out more to people, if it’s just for a chat or if she'd like them to get involved in her idea.  She just knows whatever obstacles come her way, she'll find a way to overcome them.  

Ashley will never stop doing what she loves most.

I ask Ashley whether she has plans in the Metaverse beyond SL.

Ashley replies that SL feels like home to her, so she can't see myself trying out a new virtual world anytime soon. But she do have big plans for VOIDAR going forward

Expanding on this, Ashley explains that she has already joined different social media platforms, and set up an official website. One of my main goals this year is to establish VOIDAR and what it's about.  Plant its virtual flag so to speak, she adds.  Outside still pictures, she wants to have another go at creating short animated clips set in the VOIDAR universe, and if time permits find ways to branch out into different storylines

Ambitious goals indeed!

My final query is what does Ashley consider to be her proudest accomplishment to date in SL.

I can’t say that I’m surprised when she replies that the obvious answer would be VOIDAR, but besides that she says that she’s proud of how she’s changed as a person. SL has allowed her to interact with all kinds of people and it's just opened her eyes on what's out there. Ashley thinks that she’s become more patient and sincere towards people because of her inworld experiences.

          After the conclusion of our interview, I thank Ashley for her time and candor in her answers and take my leave.

          I’m very impressed with both Ashley and her work.

          I haven’t encountered many inworld who admit to changing for the better in RL because of their SL experiences.

          Ashley’s work is rich in imagery and characters. 

          Her approach reminds me of the old fashioned cliff hangers that cinemas used to use to bring patrons back every week.

          Ashley’s work can be found on her website and on flickr.  She can also be found on Tumblr.  Her Twitter handle is @VoidarOfficial.

          I encourage everyone to see it and give their comments to Ashley!

          I know that she’ll appreciate them.

          I’d like to thank Ashley again for taking the time to meet with me and to share her story and feelings with all of us!   

          As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

          Open roads and kind fires!